Flexible metal tubing.



E. JAMES.

FLEXIBLE METAL TUBING APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1909.

Patented May 16, 1911.

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FLEXIBLE METAL TUBING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11, 1909.

Patented May 16, 1911.

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EDWARD JAMES, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FLEXIBLE METAL TUBING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

v Application filed August 11, 1909. Serial No. 512,301.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD JAMES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, andState of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flexible Metal Tubing, of

which the following is a specification, the

principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The object of the present invention is the provision of flexible metallic tubing that will be particularly adapted for use in the construction of connections, such, for example, as are employed in air brake systems to connect successive cars in a train and in other like situations where a flexible tube is.

required that shall not only be tight, but also capable of resisting a very considerable internal pressure and continued rough usage.

To the accomplishment of this and related ends, said invention then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but several of the various mechanical forms in whiach the principle of the invention may be use In said annexed drawings :-Figure 1 is a broken side elevational view of my improved flexible metallic tubing, as embodied in a connecting device such as that previously referred to, the section of tubing entering into such device being provided at its respective ends with suitable connections in the form of sleeves adapted for attachment either to the main line of the car or the coupler head, as the case may be; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one such connection; Figs. 3, 3 4, 5 and 6 are similar sectional views illustrating modiwhile Figs. 7 8 and 9 illustrate yet other 'the other wire.

constructions of such tubing.

In each of the several forms of my imroved tubing illustrated in the foregoing gures, the body A thereof will be seen to comprise two coiled wires a ai, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of This feature of construction in itself is not presented as new being shown and-described in U. S.- Patent No. 424,044, to T. R. Almond. Of such coils, the one a is made of spring or tempered wire, whereas, the other a is of annealed -wire, the result of such construction being that the tube possesses a surprising degree of flexibility, while. despite the resilient character of one of the wires employed in its construction, it will remain bent or curved in any desired position, in other words, just as would a rubber tube. I have found that not only is the flexibility of the tube much improved, but what is more important its tightness or impenetrability to the passage of fluids therethrough also, by making the diameter of the outer of the two'wires substantially' twice that of the inner wire. De-. spite this construction, whereby under normal conditions a substantially tight tube is afforded, such metallic tubing if subjected to an undue longitudinal strain, is apt to separate sufficiently between the coils to allow the escape of fluids therethrough. In

the utilization of the same, accordingly, for

connections such as those in hand, I have found it highly advantageous to provide means for preventing such undue longitudinal stretching of the constituent wires, and as a convenient mode of supplying the same, insert a rubber hose B as a lining for the tube, such hoseincluding an interwoven layer 6 of fibrous, relatively non-extensible material. By securing the ends of the hose to the respective ends of the section of tubing constituting the connection,it will hence be obvious that while normal flexure of the tube is in no Wise interfered with, any undue stretching of the same either in a direct longitudinal line or by bending too sharply will be prevented by such interwoven fibrous layer. lining-tube B and those of the metallic tube A together, I provide terminal sleeves C, Figs. 1 and2 which at the same time serve as means for attaching the assembled tub ing to its external connections, as for example, to the air line under the car, or to a coupler head?" Each of said sleeves is internally threaded at one end at 0, so as to be adapted to be fitted onto the metallic tubing, but when thus fitted on, the end of the latter is designed to extend therebeyond, the hose B projecting farther into said sleeve than the within the terminal portion ofthe hose and To thus secure the ends of the inner so disposed as to press the latter both against the tube and the inner wall of the sleeve where it projects beyond the tube. The expansion of such ring, accordingly, simultaneously serves to clamp the hose against the tube and the latter against the sleeve, as also to secure the hose to the sleeve.

While a nipple or other suitable connection will usually be employed to secure the inner end of the tubing to the air line and the coupler head is similarly threaded into the sleeve at the other end of said coupling, as shown in Fig. 3, it'may be desirable, particularly in the case of the coupler head I), to employ a different form of connection, in other words, the outer end of sleeve C is formed with an inturned flange c and a pair of washers c retained in the sleeve behind such tlange, (see Fig. 2) so that by providing the coupler head with a shank or stem at, such head may be secured in place by simply inserting its shank in the washers By using two of the latter in place of one, which, so far as I am aware, has heretofore been all that have been used in such a connection, a very much stronger joint is secured, one that will resist a pressure more than twice as great as that where but a single washer is employed. This arrangement also permits the head to be axially adjusted or swiveled in the sleeve. In order to facilitate the assembling and taking apart of this form of connection the flange 0 instead of being integral with the sleeve, may be carried by a split collar or casing C (Fig. 3), that is adapted to be removably secured to the sleeve. lNhen in place thereon it engages a groove 0 and is thus held against longitudinal movement.

The form of coupler head at present largely used by railroads, has the shank cl Figs. 4, 5 and 6, terminally provided with an enlargement d tapering 0H again to substantially the normal diameter. I accordingly illustrate several approvedmethods of securing this type of head to my im proved construction of tubing. Thus in Fig. 4, a single collar or encircling ring C, spaced some distancefrom the end of the tubing, takes the place of sleeve C. Ring C is preferably, a clamp collar and serves in conjunction with an inner ringseorrespondingly disposed inside the hose lining B, to securely clamp such lining and the metallic tubing A together. The diameter of inner ring 0 is suited to the'reception of the tapering end shank d, while its (listance from the end of the tube is such as to permit the enlarged portion (5 of the shank 60 to lie a short distance within such tube end. Upon now fastening a second clamp collar C about the end of the tube, the latter may be drawn in suiiiciently to clamp the coupler shank and thus retain the same against dislodgment. By having the inner end of the ply'a series of wires ee aaee shank extend within the ring 0 the tendency, observed in the present constructionof connection for the tubing to break at a point adjacent to such end is practically climi nated.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, I omit collar C, and in lieu thereof simply solder or braze together those portions of the wire coils 0L a that constitute a corresponding annular section a of the tube. The expansion ring a is illustrated instead of former ring 0 but the coupler head is then inserted just as before and the clamp collar C used to compress the still flexible terminal portion of the tube.

As a matter of convenience it may be desirable in practice to solder or braze, not merely such an annular section of the tube, but the entire terminal portion. In this case,

which is the one illustrated in F ig. 6, the

inner ring 0 is expanded outwardly in the fashion previously described, but in order to render it possible for collar C to draw the extreme end of the tube close around the coupler shank, such tube is slitted lengthwise as at a whereupon the desired clam-ping effect is readily secured.

In place of utilizing a fibrous layer 1) in the hose lining B of the metallic tubing in order to protect the latter against undue longitudinal stretching, it may be desirable to employ other means; thus in Fig. 7, such I lining is shown as consisting ofalayer of relatively pure rubber'that has beenvulcanized in situ, whereby it is rendered practically integral with the tubing. To prevent the latter from being stretched, I then provide an external metallic armor A of the construction clearly shown in said figure, such armor consisting in other words, of interlocking metallic strips a wound around the tube, so as to closely conform with the exterior convolutions of the latter. While this construction of exterior tube permits the whole to bend with substantially the,

same freedom as before, the inter-locking character of metallic strips (1 obviously prevents the coils a a from being drawn apart lengthwise of the tube. Instead of having the inter-locking strips a on the outside, they may be located Within the coiled wire constituting the metallic tube proper. This form of construction is illustrated in Fig. 7, where, by Way of further diversity, the hose, or'rubber tube B,is omitted. Where it is not desired to employ such additional metallic tubin I may utilize simgz or strips of metal interposed bctween the tube A and the hose B, and securely attached at their ends, Whether by soldering or other means is immaterial, to the projecting ends of the metallic tube or sleeves C to which the ends of 'such tube are attached. This form of construction will be found illustrated in Fig. 8. Finally in Fig. 9, I show an alternative method of securing .the end of inner coiled wire a of metal tube A from creeping relatively to the end of the larger exterior wire a of such tube. The sleeve and collar C are respectively relied on for this purpose in the constructions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, while the solder serves the same function in Figs. 5 and 6. When, however, it not convenient or desirable to employ either of the means just referred to, I simply pass the end a of such inner wire a through between the coils of the wire a, Fig. 9, grinding or otherwise flattening it flush with the exterior surface of the tube. The resiliency of the coils a, I find, is suificient to securely retain the inner wire from creeping or slipping.

Both in the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 1 and in that of Fig. 8,'it will add to the durability of the tubing to interpose graphite, or equivalent lubricating material, between the hose and metal tubing.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; a relatively inextensible member lying within said tube and projecting into said sleeve, the terminal portion of said member contacting with the surface of the bore of said tube and said sleeve; and means for pressing such terminal portion of said member outwardly against said surfaces. 2. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; and a hose forming a lining for said tube and projecting into said sleeve, the terminal portion of the hose being pressed outwardly against the surface of the bore of said tube and said sleeve.

3. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; a hose forming a'lining for said tube and projecting into said sleeve, the terminal portion of the hose contacting with the sur face of the bore' of said tube and said sleeve; and means for pressing such terminal portion of said hose outwardly against said surfaces.

4. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposedbetween those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending .tl erebeyond; a hose forming a lining for said tube and projecting into said sleeve, the terminal portion of the hose contacting with the surface of the bore of said tube and said sleeve; and an expanding ring within the terminal portion of said hose so disposed as to press the hose against said surfaces.

5. In a coupling of the character de scribed, the combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted on to the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; a hose forming a lining for said tube and projecting into said sleeve, the hose contacting with the surface of the bore of said tube and said sleeve; means pressing the terminal portion of said hose against said surfaces; and a coupler head detachably secured to said sleeve.

6. The combination of aflexible metallic tube composedof two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebe-.

yond; a hose forming a lining for said tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; a hose forming a' lining for said tube and pro jecting farther into said sleeve than said tube; means pressing the terminal portion of said hose both against said tube and the inner wall of said sleeve; and a coupler head detachably secured to said sleeve.

8. In a device of the character described," the combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond, the outer end of said sleeve having an inturned flange; a pair of washers retained in said sleeve behind such flange; a hose forming a lining for said tube and projecting farther into said sleeve than said tube; means pressing the terminal portion of said hose both against said tube and the inner wall of said sleeve; and a con ler head having a stem inserted in and he d by the washers in said sleeve.

9. In a deviceof the character described,

the combination of a flexible metallic tube; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube; a hose lining for said tube, the terminal portion of said hose frictionally engaging both said tube and sleeve; means for maintaining said frictional'engagement and a coupler head detachably secured to said sleeve.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a flexible metallic tube; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube, the outer end of said sleeve having an inturned flange; a pair of washers retained in said sleeve behind such flange; a hose forming a lining for said tube, the terminal portion of said hose being secured both to said tube and sleeve; and a coupler head having a stem inserted in and held by the washers in said sleeve.

11. In a conductor of the character described, the combination of a flexible metallic tube; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and provided with a detachable inturned flange; a pair of washers retained in said sleeve behind such flange; and a coupler head having a stem inserted in and held by the washers in said sleeve.

12. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; and lubricating material within said tube, substantially as described.

13. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; and a solid lubricant associated with said coils, substantially as de- 1 scribed.

interposed between'said core and tube, substantially as described.

'15. The combination of a flexible metallic tube, composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; an internal inelastic core within said tube; and a graphitic lubricant interposed between said core and tube, substantially as described.

16. The combination of a flexible metallic sea-ass tube comprising two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; and lubricating material within said tube, sub stantially as and for the purpose described.

17. The combination of a flexible metallic tube comprising two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending thercbeyond; a member extending longitudinally within said tube; and lubricating material interposed between said member and tube, sub stantially as and for the purpose described.

18. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; a hose forming a lining for said tube; and lubricating material interposed between said hose and tube.

19. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebevond: a hose forming a lining for said tube and projecting into said sleeve, the terminal portion of the hose contacting with the surface of the bore of said tube and sleeve; and lubricating material interposed between said hose and tube.

20. The combination of a flexible metallic tube composed of two coiled wires, the coils of one wire being interposed between those of the other wire; a sleeve fitted onto the end of said tube and extending therebeyond; a hose forming a lining for said tube and projecting into said sleeve, the terminal portion'of the hose contacting with the surface of the bore of said tube and sleeve; means for retaining such terminal portion of said hose against said surfaces; and lubricating material interposed between said hose and tube.

Signed by me this 24th day of July, 1909.

. EDWARD JAMES.

Attested by- CHRISTINE E. ARNS, JNO. F. OBERLIN. 

